Matt Lebow Scores for NYCMB

New York, NY -

Matt Lebow received roaring applause after speaking at a Town Hall meeting last night organized by Staten Island Recreation Congress Inc. and attended by several advocacy groups for Staten Island Parks.

Matt's brief, yet persuasive speech introduced NYARA and NYCMB to the audience and emphasized the benefits of legalizing mountain bike access to trails in Staten Island's parks. Attendees were stunned to learn that a "no mountain biking" policy exists for all NYC's parks and were equally impressed by the solutions Matt offered for numerous park problems that affect all users, not just mountain bikers.

Lebow assured the listeners that he did not want funding, just the opportunity to legally use, build and maintain multi-use trails that would benefit all Staten Island and NYC residents. He offered viable solutions regarding the clean up, maintenance, and patrolling of existing parkland and trails using the support of IMBA and volunteers, and suggested an alternate location for a highly criticized, restaurant/catering hall scheduled to be built on one of the very few recreational facilities in existence on Staten Island.

Matt was also the only speaker that demonstrated a history of accomplishments that have benefited NYC Parks and recreation areas. When asked how he managed to get junked cars out of a park that did not allow heavy machinery access, Matt simply stated, "We went in with a Hurst tool and cut them up into smaller pieces that could be carried out."

Everyone was impressed with Matt's "hands-on, get it done" approach. As a result, the Staten Island Recreational Congress asked that NYARA and NYCMB coordinate our efforts with theirs to continue to lobby the parks department. Matt Lebow will be featured next month on the New Yorkers for Parks website at www.ny4p.org and he was quoted in the Staten Island Advance this morning. You can read the story at http://www.silive.com/.

Matt greatly improved the reputation of mountain bikers in everyone's eyes by demonstrating that we are responsible trail users who care deeply about the environment and the trails we ride. Score one for NYC Mountain Bikers!

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